 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, both Republicans,
were two of the five governors publicly targeted by union coalition AFL-CIO in
February. Last Tuesday, Walker defeated Democrat Mary Burke 52-47, and Snyder
defeated Democrat Mark Schauer 51-47.
Big labor hates — and in 2012 tried to recall — Walker because of 2011’s Act 10,
a centerpiece of his agenda limiting the power of public-sector unions. Snyder
signed two right-to-work laws in 2012, empowering most Michigan workers to opt
out of paying labor union bosses and launching himself near the top of the union
enemies list.
Photo credit: State of Michigan
Photo credit: State of Michigan
WHONIONS? Michigan’s Rick Snyder was one of several union-despised governors
re-elected last week
Without accounting for union contributions to Democratic Party committees or any
of a laundry list of politically active “progressive” nonprofits, unions this
year spent at least $4,387,631 against Walker and at least $3,276,973 against
Snyder. These figures likely far understate unions’ staff and monetary
investments in both races.
Based on campaign finance reports filed with the Wisconsin Government
Accountability Board, Burke’s failed campaign received more than $650,000 of
cash and in-kind support from labor unions.
The Washington, D.C., headquarters of American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees, United Food and Commercial Workers, International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and International Association of Fire Fighters
each sent Burke donations of the maximum $43,128 allowed by state law.
National Education Association headquarters sent Burke $43,000 from D.C., and
her campaign received max contributions from Wisconsin Professional Police
Association, United Auto Workers Wisconsin and NEA-affiliate Wisconsin Education
Association Council. Several WEAC locals gave Burke four- or five-figure
donations.
Campaign finance reports submitted to the Michigan secretary of state show union
contributions to Schauer exceeding $630,000. International Union of Painters and
Allied Trades sent $50,000 from its national headquarters, IBEW headquarters
donated $44,500, UFCW headquarters gave $44,300 and AFSCME headquarters gave
$34,000.
Schauer received maximum $68,000 contributions from the Michigan affiliates of
UAW and Communications Workers of America, and received $60,381 from Michigan
Education Association.
Although labor bosses profess opposition to unlimited independent expenditures
from “super PACs,” most union spending against Walker and Snyder came from
independent expenditures. Union fronts Greater Wisconsin Committee and We Are
Wisconsin spent a combined total of more than $3.7 million in big labor’s latest
attempt to defeat Walker.
[to top of second column] |
 Greater Wisconsin Committee PAC spent $1,218,468 in the
governor’s race and received $1,298,000 from WEAC in the latest
reporting period. AFSCME headquarters funneled $2,370,000 to We Are
Wisconsin Political Fund and WEAC gave $500,000 during the latest
reporting period, while the group spent $2,517,443 in the governor’s
race.
“Once again, Big Labor failed in its attempt to defeat Wisconsin
Gov. Scott Walker, the author of collective bargaining reform,”
Brett Healy, president of the Wisconsin-based, free-market MacIver
Institute said in an email to Watchdog.org.
“One union boss even said they had ‘a score to settle’ with Walker,”
Healy added.
“Wisconsin taxpayers, on the other hand, are ecstatic that Act 10
has saved them almost $3 billion dollars over the last (four) years
which has led Walker to cut taxes by $2 billion dollars, freeze
property taxes at 2010 levels statewide and freeze tuition at the
University of Wisconsin.
“The popularity of Act 10 with Wisconsinites is exactly the reason
why Big Labor’s decision to spend their members’ hard-earned money
on this wild-goose chase is so ridiculous and disappointing,” Healy
said. “It is clear the unions are more worried about yielding crass
political power than the welfare of their members.
“Sounds to me like the taxpayers have settled the score, once and
for all, with Big Labor,” Healy said.
In Michigan, union super PACs sank more than $2.6 million into
unseating Snyder. NEA Advocacy Fund spent $703,747, Service
Employees International Union Community Alliance spent $689,270 and
AFL-CIO’s Workers’ Voice spent $632,459.
Michigan For All spent $644,617 in the governor’s race, fueled by
donations of $300,000 from SEIU Community Alliance, over $700,000
from AFSCME, and more than $400,000 from NEA Advocacy Fund.
F. Vincent Vernuccio, labor policy director at Michigan’s
free-market Mackinac Center, told Watchdog.org the Nov. 4 election
“was less a referendum and more a reaffirmation on labor reform.”
“The referendums occurred in May and July, which were the two
deadlines for unions to put right-to-work on the ballot in Michigan,
either as an initiative or a constitutional amendment,” Vernuccio
said. “And it happened throughout the governor’s race, where
right-to-work was not even an issue used by Snyder’s opponents
against him.”
[This
article courtesy of
Watchdog.]
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